


Don't Let Me Go

by breezybanner



Category: Everyman HYBRID
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Heavy Angst, Hurt, M/M, Requited Unrequited Love, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, evan is trying his best but makes things worse, jeff is trying his best but is absolutely miserable, numnuts the cameraman is here too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 10:14:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20241181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breezybanner/pseuds/breezybanner
Summary: HABIT is losing control. Jeff is scared of losing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> \-- the title will make sense in time. so will the rest, honestly.   
takes place during ":D".  
had an idea at the start, just kind of running with it as I go.   
not beta read.

Jeff sat in utter silence, staring at his feet. His mind was blank. he had nothing to say. The presence behind him, recording, figeted with the camera and make strange noises as it filmed. It sounded... inhuman. It almost... croaked? He wasn't sure of what he could call the noise. He might've turned to see what it was if he wasn't about to die. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting in the goddamn kiddie chair HABIT had roughly "coerced" him in earlier. He rubbed his shoulder where it'd been agressively grabbed and used to drag him in. 

Finally, the door creaked open. The harsh backlight was obscuring the man's face, but it was obvious who it was. The light was bright, but the darkness of the room seemed to swallow it before the glow reached far. HABIT rubbed his hands together excitedly. Jeff could hear the smile as the demon spoke. 

"CAN I COME IN? OR ARE THE LIGHTS OFF SO YOU CAN JACK IT?"  
"Funny. Real funny."  
"YEAH, I KNOW. AIN'T I JUST HILARIOUS?" HABIT exclaimed, sauntering up to Jeff and slapping him on the back. Crouching down next to him, he gently placed his hand under the taller man's chin, lifting up his face to make eye contact.  
"SO. HOW ARE WE DOING? MISS ME? I KNOW YOU MISSED HIM." HABIT gestured to his body, blade in hand, and bared his teeth in a devious smile.

"... I-...Y-... We... weren't that close." Jeff pulled back from HABIT, feeling the heat from the blood rushing to his cheeks. HABIT snorted out a laugh and repeated him in a mocking tone, which only made his face deepen two shades. 

"AND YOU SAY I'M THE FUNNY ONE! NOW THAT'S A RIOT. " Jeff closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. He didn't want to think about it. 

"So. When are you going to kill me?" He deadpanned. 

"GOOD FUCKIN' CHANGE OF CONVERSATION! EXCITED, ARE YOU? I BET YOU'D LOVE IT TO BE SOON. BUT DO I LOOK LIKE THE KIND OF PERSON TO GIVE YOU THAT LUXURY? JEFF. PAL. BUDDY. AMIGO." He gave a friendly punch on Jeff's shoulder, the knife coming dangerously close to cutting something multiple times. The question, though vaguely rhetorical, was met with more silence. HABIT feigned hurt. 

"DON'T BE A DAMN DEBBIE DOWNER. IT'LL ONLY HURT A LITTLE. AND THEN A LITTLE MORE. AND THEN A LITTLE MORE. EVENTUALLY, IT'LL BE ENOUGH TO KILL YOU. BUT THIS THING WE HAVE? ONCE IN A LIFETIME! WELL, ONCE IN THIS LIFETIME. I'VE DONE THIS COUNTLESS FUCKING TIMES. DONE A LOTTA FUCKED UP SHIT TO YOU, SPECIFICALLY. EVERY LIFE YOU LIVE, I'LL BE HERE. BUT YOU? RIGHT NOW? YOU'RE GONNA EXPERIENCE THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME! AREN'T YOU EXCITED?" He was beaming with pride. Like a kid winning a toy. It was just about as meaningful in the long run, too, soon to be discarded for a new plaything. 

Jeff's gaze burned into the floor, refusing to lock eyes with that... creature... again. HABIT rolled his eyes, quickly jamming his knife into the floor near Jeff's foot. He let out a grunt and flinched back, hand raised up instinctively to protect himself. 

"WAS AIMING FOR YOUR TOES, BUT THAT WORKS TOO. SOMETHING INTERESTING THERE? SEE A FUCKIN ANT, OR SOMETHING," HABIT said, playing it off as a joke but sounding genuinely a bit hurt. Jeff just scoffed at him, but his tense body revealed more than he said. 

"THIS IS GETTING UNINTERESTING QUICKLY. SO HOW ABOUT WE LIVEN THIS PLACE UP? IT'S SO DRAB AND BLEAK," HABIT groaned sarcastically, "I THINK A BIT OF RED HIGHLIGHTS WOULD MAKE THIS PLACE LOOK GORGEOUS."

"You're sick." HABIT chucked at that, and faked a cartoonish cough and sneeze. 

"MAYBE A LITTLE. IT IS THAT SEASON."  
Jeff said nothing as HABIT rose slowly and stood ominously shadowed over him. 

"LOOK AT YOU. SO MISERABLE. I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A LITTLE FUN, THAT'S ALL." Turning away, Jeff tried to look at anything except the man before him. He didn't want to look HABIT in the eyes. It would only make that demon's ego larger, he told himself. It was only because he was scared, he told himself.  
Excuses, excuses.  
He knew that wasn't why. 

He didn't want to see Evan. When he saw his face, he thought about the things that they'd done. Quiet kisses behind closed doors, sweet nothings whispered close when nobody else was around. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want HABIT to see the love still left in him.

Jeff was snapped out of his thoughts when a sharp, burning sensation quickly cut across his cheek. Jaw dropping in shock, he shot his hand up to his face and felt blood seeping out. 

"AWW, IS OUR LITTLE BUDDY SAD HE'S BEING TAKEN OUT OF THE GAME? BOO HOO, BITCH. LIVE IN THE MOMENT. YOU'VE ONLY GOT SO MANY LEFT." HABIT pressed the flat of his knife onto the other cheek, the cool metal sending a quick shiver down Jeff's spine. They sat there like that for a minute, the knife sometimes pressing harder but never quite cutting. 

HABIT'S smile sunk. The taller man tensed, readying himself for whatever HABIT threw at him. It was clearly some kind of ploy to catch him off guard.

But then HABIT growled as he dropped his knife into his pocket. Bewilderment grew in Jeff's eyes. Pacing back and forth, HABIT took off his hat and mussed up his hair. He seemed to be mumbling under his breath. It felt like it'd been going on forever, the quiet shuffling of feet and ominous murmurs. Jeff rose from his seat, unsure of what was happening. The noise seemed to snap HABIT put of his trance.

"Y- OH, NO YOU DON'T." HABIT's leg came crashing down onto the back of Jeff's knees, causing them to buckle. He hit the ground hard, his body making a thud as he fell onto the hard wood floor. He winced as it sent a shock up his already bruised knees from the altercation that got him here. Jeff started to place his hands down to push himself up, but felt a heavy force pushing his torso and head into the ground. 

HABIT, kneeling on his prey, pushed his head into the ground with one hand. He re-armed himself with his blade, and Jeff couldve sworn that HABIT could hear his heart it was beating so hard. The demon above him was breathing heavily. There was a few seconds of silence, but the rushing blood in Jeff's ears sounded like a tsunami. 

The blade came down into the wood inches away from his face being ground into the floor. The force was incredible, splintering the planks. Jeff only saw it in his peripheral vision, but it was enough to elicit a whine of terror. He would've expected HABIT to say something there. To mock him, to say... SOMETHING. But he felt the pressure remove from on top of him, and Jeff sprung up to hold his sore spots and small cuts. He backed away from his former friend. 

HABIT's breathing was completely erratic now, his fists clenching and unclenching. He stood and stared at the ground beneath him. Then, almost casually, he walked over to the nearest wall and threw himself at it, his limp body hitting the ground with a loud slam.


	2. Let The River In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it a rabbit, or HABIT?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \-- sorry for the long wait between chapters. I rewrote this from 2 different POVs before settling on this. not beta read.

Jeff was sitting outside of the attic. He had been for a while. The creature behind the camera, affectionately named "Numnuts" by HABIT, was sitting in the corner with him.

"I'm just gonna call you 'Nuts'... Actually, that sounds worse." It didn't say anything. It never did. Jeff was only talking at it so he wouldn't have to sit in silence with his own thoughts.

"Do you like to record? You do it a lot. Probably better than I ever was-" Jeff got cut off by a hoarse call coming from within the attic. He shot the creature beside him a wide eyed, anxious look. After HABIT collapsed, they had left him restrained in the kiddie chair.

"Looks like he's up. You can leave if you want to. I don't really... know what you'd do." Jeff closed his eyes and took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for whatever was going to happen. He stood up, firmly grasping the handle of the knife in his pocket, and cracked open the door.

HABIT had his hands tied firmly behind him and his ankles roped together as well. His hands were twisting and struggling to free himself, the rope leaving rashes on his wrists, but he struggled nonetheless. He was breathing heavy, frantic and more jumpy than a frightened rabbit. It seemed unlike him.

The light filtering into the room quickly got his attention, and he stared up into Jeff's eyes. He stopped thrashing.

"J... I..." His jaw was dropped wide, and Jeff could tell he was struggling to find his words. HABIT tried to stand up, but his legs almost colapsed underneath him back into the chair. Startled, Jeff stepped backwards. His hand was trembling in his pocket where he gripped the knife.

HABIT seemed to notice Jeff's fear and stopped trying to move.

"I-I'm sorry," he whispered. "I couldn't stop- I hurt you." His voice was hoarse... But something was different about him. He spoke more softly, with more care. It was either a convincing act, or...

"Evan... Is that you?" He didn't realise how hard he had been grasping his knife until he let go, the textured handle leaving a mark on his palm. Jeff felt himself even smile a little bit, and he stepped closer to his friend- but Evan pushed himself backwards.

"Don't come near me." The command was supposed to sound more intimidating, but his bark came out hoarse and miserable. Jeff's heart sank more every time he heard the young man speak.

"Wh- Evan, please. We're safe now. You wouldn't hurt me."

"I almost did, Jeff! You know. You backed away from me. You're _scared_ of me. We both know what I can do... I promised you that we'd make it. If you're near me, you're in danger. Just... Leave." Evan was shaking more now, his bottom lip trembling as he spoke.

Jeff took his hat off and ran his fingers through his hair, tiredly laughing.

"I just... I don't understand. Please. If... If you let me help you, maybe we can fix you. We can go back to normal. I don't get it, don't you want that?"

Evan scoffed and glare up into his eyes, hunched over. 

"Normal. What do you mean, normal? Are you talking about making out in the bathroom, then avoiding each other for a week? Stuck in a perpetual state of 'awkward glances from across the room'? We were barely friends."

Jeff leaned against the wall by the door, sliding down so he was sitting across from Evan. His eyes were bleary, he could barely see through the tears welling up in his eyes. His next words were quiet.

"..._I_ thought we had something, Ev. I just- I thought that you didn't want people to know. I don't think I ever said it out loud to you..." Jeff trailed off, looking away. 

"I don't get you. Why are you so worried about me if I was just another fling?" Jeff pulled out the knife and slid it so it landed by Evan's feet with a loud clatter. 

"At this point, I don't think I care if you hurt me or not."

Evan bends down, and holding the knife steady with his feet, saws his hands free. He rubs his aching wrists and ankles, sore from the taught ropes. The door slams closed behind him, leaving Jeff alone in the dark.

**Author's Note:**

> \-- sorry not sorry. it'll probably get worse. stay tuned.


End file.
